Dulcimer-action.



No. 874,473. PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

' N. J. WINLUND.

DULCIMER ACTION.

APPLIUATION FILED 171.730.1907

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NICHOLAS J. WINLUND, OF ROGKFORD, ILLINOIS.

DULCIMER-ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 24, 1907.

. Application filed July 30, 1907- Serial lilon 386,296.

To all whom fit may concern: l

Be it known thatI, Nici-loins J. WINLUND, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnehago and Stateof Illinois, have invented eertain new and useful Improvements inDulcimer-Actions, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an action adapted for use inperforming on the dulcimer; and it consists of certain new and usefulfeatures of construction and combinations of parts especially devised tothat end, all as hereinafter fully described and specifically pointedout in the claim appended hereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, Eigure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a dulcimerprovided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a section, at the dotted line2-2 in I? ig. 1, of parts there shown. Fig. 3 is a section, at thedotted line 3-3 in Fig. 1, of parts there shown. f

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

1 is the body of the dulcimer and is of the usual box-like form havingbridges 2 and 3 seated on its sounding board 4 and provided with strings5 stretched across the bridges and attached to retaining and tuning pins6 and 7 in the usual manner.

S is a ke f-rail and 9 a hammer-rail, the latter having transverse slots10 formed in its upper edge portion for a purpose to be eX- plainedhereinafter. The two rails constitute the main support of the action aswell as a portion of the case for inclosing the same.

11 is a bar having guide-slots 12 extending therethrough and is securedby its ends to the end-pieces (not shown) of the action case.

13 is a key having a spring-chamber 14 formed therein and provided witha hingeslot 15 extending vertically therethrough,

16 is a hinge-pin seated in the key-rail 8 and passing through. the slot15 in the key 13 and forming therewith a hinge for said key.

17 is a hammer provided with a stem 18 the free end whereof rests in oneof the transverse slots 1() in the rail 9.

19 is a guide-pin seated in the key 13 and projecting downward therefromthrough guide-slots 2() and. 21 inthe hammer stem 13 and bar 11.

22 is a spring within the chamber 14, in the key 13, and connects andnormally maintains the hammer 17 and its stem 18 in close contact withthe under side of said key. Acting against the resistance of the rails 3and 9 said spring also normally maintains the key 13 at its upper limitof travel.

23 is a felt pad fast to the stem 18 of the hammer 17 and serves torender the contact between said parts and the key 13 noiseless, whilethe same are being operated.

24 is an adjusting-screw turned into the bar 11 and its function is tolimit the downward travel of the hammer 17 and its stem 1S. Theadjusting screw 24 should be turned upward sufficiently to prevent thehammer 17 from resting on the wire 5. As it descends its momentum willfleX its stem,

Aas it strikes said adjusting-screw, sufficiently to cause it to strikethe wire, and the resiliency of said stem will immediately thereafterlift such hammer out of contact therewith and thereby leave it free tovibrate.

25 is a felt pad fast to the under side of the hammer-stem 18 and servesto render the Contact between the latter and the adjusting screw 24noiseless.

216 is the back of the case and is fast to the rai 3.

27 is the center support of the case and rests upon blocks 28 at theends thereof.

29 and 30 are hinged together at 31 to form the cover of the case andthe former is hinged to the back 26 at 32.

33 is a closure for the space between the ends of the keys 1.3 and therail 9.

If one of the keys 13 be struck in the usual manner its front end willtilt downward and, acting upon and through the stem 18 of the hammer 17,will also force them downward until the former strikes theregulating-screw 24, the force of the impulse continuing until thehammer 17 strikes the wire 5, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.The resiliency of the stem will immediately thereafter start said hammer17 upward, and the spring 22 will cause the same and the key 1 3 tocontinue their upward movements, until they assume their originalpositions, as indicated by solid lines in Eig. 1.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, a key, a hammer and its stem and a spring connectingand normally maintaining the hammer and stem in close contact with theunder side of the key, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a key-rail, a key mounted thereon, a hammer-rail, ahammer mountthe under side of the key and said key at its upper limit oftravel and an adjusting-screw for limiting the downward travel of thehaml mer and its stem, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

NICHOLAS J, WINLUND.

Witnesses:

EARL F. WHITMORE, NELLIE E. ENNETT.

